Solid oral dosage dispenser with safety, tamper-proof and sanitation features

Abstract

A tablet or capsule dispenser includes a neck member (12) for forming an entrance through which tablets or capsules to be dispensed must pass to get to laterally-positioned delivery compartments (28) downstream thereof. A baffle member (14) is affixed to the neck member for defining baffle openings (42) which are aligned with each of the delivery compartments (28). A one-way rotary carousel member (16), positioned between the stationary baffle member (14) and the delivery compartments (28), has a rotating opening (50) therein which, when aligned with the delivery compartments allows tablets or capsules therein to be dispensed. The rotating opening includes a radial wall (54) at a trailing edge of the rotating opening for contacting a tablet or capsule located in a delivery compartment to thereby prevent further rotation of the carousel member unless the tablet or capsule in the compartment is dispensed and an internal wall (52) at an internal edge of the rotating opening to isolate tablets and capsules at the delivery compartment from tablets and capsules passing through the delivery opening. The carousel member is rotated relative to the container and its neck portion by means of a transparent cap apparatus (18) which has male threads (74) for engaging female threads (76) on the carousel member (16) and which has floating safety female threads (66) for engaging male threads (32) on the outer surface of the container neck member.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows: 
     
       1. A tablet or capsule cap assembly for dispensing tablets or capsules from a container comprising: a container neck having a passage wall defining an entrance opening through which tablets or capsules to be dispensed must pass in preparation for being dispensed from said container, said passage wall flaring outwardly downstream of said entrance opening to define a delivery compartment positioned laterally of said entrance opening so that said tablets or capsules must move laterally to enter said delivery compartment, said compartment being bounded by radially positioned slats, said delivery compartment being of such a size that only a specific number of tablets or capsules will fit therein;   a carousel member positioned adjacent said radially positioned slats to prevent tablets or capsules from passing from said delivery compartment, said carousel member having freedom of rotation relative to said container neck means in one direction, but not substantially in the other direction, said carousel member having a tablet-carrying surface with an opening therethrough of such a size and position for rotating to a position aligned with said delivery compartment and thereby allowing a tablet or capsule to pass from said delivery compartment through said rotating opening, the slats being separated from the tablet-carrying surface of said carousel member by a distance which is less than the smallest dimension of a tablet or capsule to be dispensed therewith and said carousel member including a radial wall at a trailing edge of said rotating opening for contacting a tablet or capsule located in said delivery compartment to thereby prevent further rotation of said carousel member unless a tablet or capsule is dispensed and an internal wall at an internal edge of said rotating opening to isolate said tablets or capsules at said delivery compartment from tablets or capsules passing through said entrance opening;   means for rotating said carousel member relative to said neck whereby once a container is inverted, a tablet or capsule enters said delivery compartment and said slats hold said tablet in said delivery compartment so that as said carousel member is rotated it slides along said tablet-carrying surface of said carousel member until said tablet or capsule falls through said carousel opening.   
     
     
       2. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 1 wherein said neck is round and has a plurality of slats defining a plurality of delivery compartments. 
     
     
       3. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 2 wherein said means for rotating said carousel member is a cap having a central spindle thereon for engaging said carousel member and further includes female threads for engaging male threads of the neck. 
     
     
       4. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 3 wherein said spindle includes threads which mesh with threads of said carousel member. 
     
     
       5. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 3 wherein the female threads of said cap which engage the male threads of said neck are child-proof threads which can rotate relative to the rest of said cap unless said cap is manipulated in a specific manner. 
     
     
       6. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 2 wherein is further included a stationary baffle member affixed to said passage wall adjacent said delivery compartments, said carousel member being positioned between said radially extending slats and said stationary baffle, said baffle member having a plurality of baffle openings each of which is aligned with one of said delivery compartments. 
     
     
       7. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 1 wherein is further included a stationary baffle member affixed to said passage wall adjacent said delivery compartment, said carousel member being positioned between said radially positioned slats and said stationary baffle, said baffle member having a baffle opening aligned with said delivery compartment. 
     
     
       8. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 7 wherein said stationary baffle includes an axially extending blocking wall adjacent said baffle opening to aid in blocking a probe extended at an angle through said opening. 
     
     
       9. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said carousel member is a cap having a central spindle thereon for engaging said carousel member and further includes female threads for engaging male threads of the neck. 
     
     
       10. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 9 wherein said spindle includes threads which mesh with threads of said carousel member. 
     
     
       11. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 5 wherein the female threads of said cap which engage the male threads of said neck member are child-proof threads which can rotate relative to the rest of said cap unless said cap is manipulated in a specific manner. 
     
     
       12. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 1 wherein a flat-shaped capsule having a shape similar to that of a tablet is dispensed therewith. 
     
     
       13. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 1 wherein said means for rotating said carousel member is a cap having a central spindle thereon for engaging said carousel member. 
     
     
       14. A tablet or capsule cap assembly as in claim 13 wherein said central spindle has threads thereon which mesh with threads on said carousel member to rotate said carousel member when said cap is rotated in said one direction but which unmesh from said threads when said cap is rotated in said other direction.